Unwilling to give his pet issue a rest of more than a couple weeks, President Bush has made his way out to the west coast to spew the same old establishment talking points on immigration (see our helpful glossary here) in what seems to be a determined bid to rip apart the Republican party. In this particular speech Bush criticized those who advocate deporting all of the 10-20 million (no one knows how many, exactly) illegal aliens in the country with the convincing argument that "[massive deportation] is not going to work." In case that did not win over detractors, Bush added, "it's just not going to work."
What remains unsaid in the article, however, is that no one in either in the House or the Senate has ever pushed for the immediate deportation of millions of people, so Bush has merely set up a straw man in place of the reasonable arguments of those in his own party, thereby relieving himself of having to actually engage in serious debate. The sad fact that he is unable even to knock down the straw man is testament to the intellectual bankruptcy of the illegal alien lobby, which rarely if ever deigns to venture beyond clichéd soundbites and accusations of racism and nativism.
Meanwhile, back on Sunday's Meet the Press, Teddy Kennedy was only too eager to urge the President on in his self-destructive quest, telling Bush to "take on the right wing" of his party, otherwise known as the approximately 90 percent of Republicans who are opposed to the President's stance on illegal immigration. Kennedy, who elsewhere in the interview sizes up the Democrats' prospects for regaining control of congress in the midterm elections, is no doubt well aware that any debate which pits House Republicans against Senate Republicans, and the President against his base, is an ideal debate to be holding in the run-up to November.
My solution to the problem? Have Teddy personally drive the illegals back over the Rio Grande - that experience ought to discourage them from any further incursions.
More: Linknzona has more on the "establishment" conspiracy to win votes and fool the public.
